This application is for support of the meeting "Assessing Human Germ Cell Mutagenesis in the Post- Genome Era: A Celebration of the Legacy of Bill Russell" to be held at The Jackson Laboratory (TJL) in Bar Harbor Maine on September 28-30, 2004. The overall objective of this workshop is to assess current capabilities and project future strategies to detect human germ cell mutagens and mutations. The workshop will bring together an interdisciplinary group of experts to evaluate current and future molecular and epidemiological techniques for identifying human germ cell mutagens. A key issue to be considered is the laboratory methods to detect differences among large sets of genomes selected from exposed populations. It is expected that this workshop and the assessment documents produced from it will have a meaningful impact on the field of mutation research and human genetic health. Invited speakers will present background, raise important scientific questions or discuss their own work in topical areas that impact on germ cell mutagenesis. The conference will convene over a period of three days, and will include seven sessions: Historical Perspective and Impact of Genome Project, Germ Cell Biology and Mutagenesis, Technologies for Detection of DNA Mutation and Chromosomal Mutations in Gametes, New Approaches for Detecting Inherited DNA and Chromosomal Mutations, Lingering Puzzles in Mutagenesis and Inheritance, Research Challenges in Mutagenesis and Inheritance, and Challenges in Linking Human Exposure to Increased Mutations and Health Consequences in Offspring. Each session will consist of three to four invited lectures of approximately 25 minutes in length, with 5 minutes allotted at the end of each presentation for questions from the audience. A key element will be two unstructured open discussion sessions: "Integrating New Technologies in Germ Cell Mutagenesis" and "Research Recommendations for Assessing Mutations in the Post-Genome Era" to be led by carefully selected "thought leaders" who will encourage unbiased and imaginative strategy setting on the part of the participants. Due to its relatively small size and interactive format, this conference represents a unique and rare opportunity for established investigators and students to interact with speakers and other experts that we expect to attend. [unreadable] [unreadable]